


Dead for Good

by TheChocolateArmor



Category: PBG Hardcore, PBG Hardcore series, PBGHardcore - Fandom
Genre: Cheese, Death, M/M, RIP, Sad., Sadness, why the frick did you have to kill the ship mcjones why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 21:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15203891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChocolateArmor/pseuds/TheChocolateArmor
Summary: This was a request from the HC subreddit. Since McJones retired from the show, they thought it would be a good idea to kill him off lorewise too.I know this definitely feels like it should be the last Ryzab fanfic I write, since he's gone and all, but screw it- it's a cute ship, so I say it's fine. Just because the cast member leaves irl doesn't mean I can't still write and draw stuff for the cutest ship ever.But, I must say, as far as my headcanon goes, this is McJones's DEATH, so probably anything I write after this will take place before this scene. Anyway, enjoy this bit of cheese I put together for some reason!





	Dead for Good

For a while, there was peace.

Dean and his favorite mining buddy, Professor McJones, were happily travelling along the interdimensional road between the Hardcore world and the real one. Everything was chill, and Dean smiled blissfully.

At first there had been excitement- Dean had just been returning after completing another season of Hardcore, and he had found that, while most of the others who had perished earlier had already returned to the real world, his own, dear McJones had waited on the path for him all along! Dean had found himself rushing into his partner’s arms, happy little tears flying out behind him.

It had been such a beautiful moment- like many of Dean’s favorite anime scenes. And, just like in the shows, McJones had made sure to sweep him off his feet, twirling him around like he was a ballet dancer. After an emotional embrace, they had waited for the other winners of the season to move on so they could walk together alone.

But now, the overwhelming joy had left Dean with a sense of serenity as they walked. The extreme hype having been replaced with an equally delightful calm atmosphere, the two strode in silence. Hand in hand, they enjoyed the surreal scenery their road gave them- the path they walked on was an ethereal white, marble-like substance; The sky around them was a beautiful galaxy, that almost looked like it was intertwined with the depths of some unknown sea.

It was how Dean had always imagined heaven. He figured it was basically impossible to be in any danger here, in this quiet world.

Boy was he wrong.

For suddenly, out of the ground sprang a shadowy figure, instantly killing that feeling of peace with a transition of moods that Dean swore almost gave him whiplash. The shadow seemed to be dripping with some sort of dark goo, giving it a twisted look. It’s mouth formed into a wide, wicked smile- which seemed to radiate some sort of demonic light from within. It’s expression looked vicious as it towered over both of them- blocking their way.

“Woah!”, Dean exclaimed, and behind him, he heard McJones gasp.

They would have quickly dodged to the side, continuing on their way, but unfortunately, the creature was hostile and aggressive. It cackled, the sound of its hideous laughter echoing through the interdimensional highway. It flicked its fingers, and in a moment, some sort of gooey barrier formed behind it, blocking their path forward. They could hear another form behind them as well, leaving them trapped.

Giddy with what Dean assumed to be bloodthirsty excitement, its clawed hand swiped at the travellers, only barely missing them.

Well, it was certainly not friendly, that fact was obvious. The trouble was, they had no weapons, for one cannot take objects from fantastical worlds back to reality.

So here they were, trapped, unarmed, and, as Dean would have said, basically @#%$ed.

“D-Demon!”, McJones cried. “Or whatever you are! Leave us be!”

The demon/goo/thing hissed at him, then charged. Obsidian colored goo splattered out behind it on all sides- it was so fast that an observer would have seen it as a blur, with a few flying drops of goo trailing behind it. And it was heading straight for Dean! All he could see as the creature ran at him was that stupid smile. It chilled him to the bone, and that fear froze him in place.

Sweat streamed down his temples, and all he could do was scream and scream.

His feet simply refused to move.

He may very well have perished right then and there, but just as the thing was about to hit him, which would have most likely resulted in him getting torn to bits, he saw a figure rush in front of him. It was McJones.

He looked surprisingly fearsome, his silhouette blocking the heavenly light that constantly shone upon everything. And his stance was fierce. Heroic.

The creature slammed into him, leaving Dean unharmed.

“NO!”, Dean cried out as the professor was flung backward from the impact of the attack. “Snatcher-Boi, you can’t have him!”

The “Snatcher-Boi” ignored this remark. It held McJones down with one sticky arm, the other clawing viciously at his abdomen. Dean watched for a moment, helpless as his companion struggled to get free. Then, he shook himself, curling his hands into tight fists.

“I told you you couldn’t have him…”, he muttered. “You will pay for this.”

With a mighty war cry, (In which his voice cracked at least once), he threw himself on top of the creature, grabbing viciously at it’s gooey matter. It howled, letting go of McJones. Desperately, it clawed at it’s own back in an attempt to stop Dean’s furious tearing. However, Dean managed to roll himself down its back and out of the way. Still, he had gotten injured all the same.

Thinking quickly, McJones took the chain necklace that had come with his Pepsiman cosplay and threw it around the Snatcher-Boi’s neck.

“Dean, pull on that chain!”, he gasped weakly, wincing from the pain of his newly acquired wounds. Dean obeyed almost immediately, yanking on the necklace from behind and choking its wearer. The Snatcher-Boi shrieked so hard, Dean thought his ears would start bleeding. But he couldn’t let go of the chain to plug them, so he bore the pain.

And then he realized… The fiend was shrinking with every part of it he tore away. The gooey matter did not magically rejoin with its host- rather, it simply faded away, evaporating like a puddle in the middle of summer. Suddenly, he smiled.

“McJones!”, he called. “Ya think you could help me tear up this guy? If we get him fast, he probably won’t be able to kill us!”

“I suppose so,” McJones huffed, obviously quite worn out.

“Then LET’S DO THIS!!”, Dean screeched, diving headfirst at the Snatcher-Boi. McJones did the same, and together, they ripped up the creature with no mercy.

As they did so, it began to shrink, and the smile on its face faded to a desperate look. It’s roars became pained cries as it became smaller and smaller.

But then… Just as they were about to finish it off, it managed to wriggle out of their grip- now merely a small, sword sized stick. It hovered in the air above them, and it was laughing again. Then, it started spinning in place, slowly at first, but it went faster and faster with each second.

“What’s it gonna do now?”, Dean wondered.

“I dunno..”, McJones breathed. “But I would back away if I were-”

He was cut off as, very suddenly, the creature shot forward and tore right through him. Just the right size, it had used its pointed tail end and rammed itself straight into McJones’s chest. It shot out through his back, falling to the ground in broken pieces. With a final high pitched cackle, it faded into nothing, as did the barriers around the scene.

Without a word, McJones collapsed.

 

“NOOOOO!!!!”

It took a moment for Dean to register what had just happened, but as soon as he did, he was on the floor, by McJones’s side in an instant. The professor wasn’t moving.

“No no no no, NO! This can’t be happening!!”, he ran trembling fingers through his hair, eyes wide. “McJones, speak to me!”

“Dean…”, he heard the professor mumble.

Half grateful to hear that familiar voice, yet half crazy with anxiety, Dean let out a rather unattractive high pitched squeal. McJones was still alive!

Still alive, maybe, but he didn’t know how long that was going to last.

Shakily, Dean turned his mortally injured mining buddy over so he was lying on his back. Then, he took to examining the hole that still remained in McJones’s chest. It looked awful, but not nearly as bad as Dean had initially expected. Perhaps there was a way he could heal that wound a little. Maybe he could bandage it up long enough to get McJones back home! Maybe he could find a way to save his life!

“Hold on,” he said, trying to sound calm and in control. “I can fix this. Here, we can use my jacket as a bandage and-”

“No,” McJones muttered, weakly shaking his head. “Don’t bother…”

“But we have to do SOMETHING! You think I’m just gonna let you bleed out?!”

“Dean..”

“Here,” Dean quickly unzipped his jacket, revealing a tank top underneath. “Lemme just-”

“No… Dean, it’s no use,” McJones whispered. “I… Don’t think there’s anything you can do.”

“What?! You, of all people, telling me to give up?!”

“I’m telling you not to waste your energy. You’re hurt too.”

“T-That doesn’t matter! I have to help you!”

“Dean-”

“McJones-”

“Dean… Please,” McJones coughed. “D-...Don’t use up your strength. I need you to get home, okay? Don’t make this worse.”

“No!”, Dean was angry now. “I’m not going to let you die out here! You’re going to be alright, damn it!”

“Dean… Calm down.”

 

“C’mon, McJones! I’d give my life for you! You know that!”

Tears were threatening to creep out of Dean’s eyes, and he quickly blinked them away. A previously unnoticed lump was forming in his throat, and he found it increasingly difficult to hide his despair. He couldn’t meet McJones’s eyes, not like this. Unable to speak, for fear of his voice becoming all choked up, he knelt there, staring at the floor.

“...I’m sorry,” McJones wheezed after a moment. “But there really is nothing you can do… Please, Dean. Let it go. For me.”

Silence settled in around them. There was no way to save McJones, Dean realized. All his attempts were futile. Even if he had tried to take the man's corpse to Todd the Wizard for revival, it would've been too late, for if one dies between dimensions, there's no saving them.

An overwhelming sadness passed over him, like a shadow. It was only then that he let the tears come.

Choking back a sob, he took McJones and held him in his arms. The burning in his throat became worse, and he was forced to take in shaky breaths.

“D-Damn it, McJones! I hate goodbyes,” he hissed.

“As do I, and yet here we are. I apologise for that...”

“I-I just thought we would finally be happy for a change… Like maybe one of us wouldn't instantly die for once”, Dean whimpered. “....Oh, please, McJones! You can’t leave me like this!”

“I’m sorry, Dean,” McJones looked grim.

“But Dean,” his voice was only barely audible now. “Promise me………. Promise me you won't let this stop you from living your life, alright. Don't get too depressed just because I’m gone. Just remember that I’m in a better place and smile. A-And whatever happens… ...Aww geez, this is gonna sound cheesy….”

He let out a soft sigh.

“I'll always love you, alright?”

Dean forced a smile. McJones loved him.

Him; He himself, Dean Elazab.

The statement comforted him- even though he had already known it to be true. McJones had often proclaimed his love to Dean, so much that it had become a regular habit in fact. But each time the professor said it, Dean couldn’t help but feel little butterflies flutter in his happy little heart. Still though, that sense of loss he had begun to feel the moment he realized McJones was going to die continued to tear at his stomach.

It wouldn’t completely go away.

“I promise, professor,” he tried to calm himself. “But only if you don't forget: I love you too.” His words got a slight laugh out of the dying man.

“Professor, eh?”, he chuckled. “Am I really still just a professor to you all?”

Dean shook his head.

“No, you’re much more than that.”

Silence took over once more.

At first Dean thought it was merely a pause in the conversation, but when he looked down again, he saw that McJones was gone. His eyes were glassy and empty, and he wasn’t breathing. There was no pulse, either, as Dean quickly discovered.

So it really was the end, then.

Of course, as many humans would have done, Dean burst into tears. He buried his face into the remains of his partner, crying the day away. As one would expect, he bawled his eyes off, and, to him, it seemed like he was sobbing endlessly- though the time he spent in that hollow moment didn’t actually amount to more than a minute.

And then finally, he stopped. His eyes were dry now- apparently he had run out of tears. 

 

“Gah! I’m so melodramatic,” he muttered to himself. “I really need to get it together…” He cursed under his breath, eyeing McJones.

“I can't just leave him,” he thought to himself. “I should take him back with me- As much as I don't wanna be the bearer of bad news, I guess it's my duty to make sure everyone understands what just happened…

I wonder if Todd will let me skip out on this next season… I really don't wanna play games right now.”

And so the saddened fellow silently, slowly stood up- still holding the body in his arms. Part of him wanted to just curl up and die in a corner, but he knew he should probably get home.

“It’s funny,” he said to himself as he continued on his journey. “It’s funny how sometimes the worst things happen when we’re not even worried about dying.

Guess it’s just life’s way of telling us to get off our butts and get something done…

Or maybe it’s just life’s way of telling us that nothing’s fair and none of the good guys are allowed to live.”

After a moment of thought, he smiled- grimly, but it was technically a smile.

“At least that means my adventure boi was a good guy. I can at least say that.”

He was nearing the gate now, the portal between the pathway and the regular world. He didn’t know what waited there for him, other than a funeral, but whatever it was- he swore he would be prepared for it. He had to do that! For McJones!

McJones….

As he stepped closer to the aperture ahead, he took a moment and glanced down at the corpse in his arms.

“Oh McJones… I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing you.”

But his friend uttered no response; He remained silent.

Silent as the grave.


End file.
